SECONDARY school pupils and staff will have to wear masks in school corridors in local lockdown areas of England, in another U-turn from the government.

The new rules will come into place September 1.

Should new local restrictions be imposed, schools will need to communicate "quickly and clearly" the new arrangements to staff, parents and pupils.

The government also said that all schools and colleges will have the discretion to require face coverings in communal areas where social distancing cannot be safely managed - such as when the layout of a school makes it difficult to do so.

Where a student or staff member is struggling to access a mask, or if it soiled or unsafe, the guidance says that schools should take steps to have a "small contingency supply" available, adding no-one should excluded on the grounds that they are not wearing a face covering.

Exemptions to the new measures include those who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability, or if a person is speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expression to communicate.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the "best" scientific and medical advice indicates that the wearing of face coverings in all schools is not necessary.

He told Sky News: "We always follow and listen to the best scientific and medical advice, and that's why we're not recommending that face coverings should be mandatory right across the country in all schools.

"The best scientific and medical advice says that that isn't necessary.

"We are recognising the fact that there are certain areas of the country where there's a high instance, or a higher instance, of coronavirus that we're taking an extra precautionary measure.

"When we do look at school return, the key thing, the thing that has informed us most of all, yes, it is for scientific and medical advice and it's been on the basis of how we ensure that all schools are as safe as possible."

Mr Williamson said the Government wants to create an environment with safety at its "absolute core" as schools get set to return across England.

He said: "As we look towards next week and the following week as more and more schools come back, we want to create an environment that has safety at the absolute core of everything that we do.

"Because the safety for pupils, the safety for those who work in schools, is absolutely critical for all of us."

Mr Williamson added: "What we're recommending in terms of mandating the wearing of face coverings in communal areas for secondary schools is only in a very, very small number of areas in the country which are in local lockdown.

"What we're doing is we recognise that there are added concerns in those communities about transmission.

"But we also recognise how important it is for every child to get back."

Mr Williamson ruled out mandatory requirements for face coverings in schools being extended further.